No show with declined Credit Card Information

[Surfside]

Hi everyone. Had a No Show who booked online for 2 nights. We were trying to resell the room, after calling the guest and getting no answer, but with no luck.
Time comes to put the charge through, but the card is declined. Have you had anything like this? What do you do if it happened? For us it is a loss of over $300...
Thank you again, Surfside

 

[scrambled_eggs]

I would keep trying the card every other day but don't try more than one time a day. When I worked at the large hotel that is what we would do until the payment went through. Sometimes they are just maxed out on their limit.

 

[Baygirl]

We had this happen a few weeks ago. A two reservation and ended up being a no show. Busy weekend and could have rented the room if only we had known in time. At least we run a 50% deposit when someone makes a reservation so we recouped some of the $. Their card was also declined when we tried to run it. It doesn't happen to often, but when it does it hurts....Hope you at least got a deposit from them.

 

[Alibi Ike]

We had this happen a few weeks ago. A two reservation and ended up being a no show. Busy weekend and could have rented the room if only we had known in time. At least we run a 50% deposit when someone makes a reservation so we recouped some of the $. Their card was also declined when we tried to run it. It doesn't happen to often, but when it does it hurts....Hope you at least got a deposit from them..

We started the deposits this year and I am now up to, I think, 6-8 bad cards in a month. At least this is the deposit and not a no show but this is what we had last year. No shows or late cancellations and bad cards when we tried to charge them.
If the date is close, you can try entering the same month but 3 years hence. So a card that expires in 12/11 might actually be 12/14 now.
Most of the declined cards I've had this month have been because the card was replaced after the number was stolen. Not the card, just the number.

 

[agoodman]

FYI it is illegal to keep trying different dates
I am sorry this is happening to you, I am fortunate and in 6 years have never had a bad card and hardly any no shows (2 I think)
I don't feel the need to process in advance and don't like the liability on my books. I know it works for some inns though. If the res seems "odd" or if you have never spoken to the guest and this is happening often, then you may want to process at the point your cancel policy kicks in (30 days, 7 days etc)
Sadly yes you will probably just have to bear the loss

 

[Don Draper]

Last time this happened I called our processor and got the issuing bank's phone number. Called that number and it ended up being customer service for that card. So I entered the number and found that the card only had $65 available (I was trying to run $165). The system said when the last payment had been made and when the next one was due, so I waited until a day after the next payment was due, checked the balance, and was able to run the charge.
Did it make me feel like a stalking creep? Kinda. But I was glad to get my money when they cancelled at the last minute. When they book online (esp if they click a box stating they agree to your policies) they are essentially signing a contract with you. Contact the issuing bank and see what they can do for you.

 

[Copperhead]

Last time this happened I called our processor and got the issuing bank's phone number. Called that number and it ended up being customer service for that card. So I entered the number and found that the card only had $65 available (I was trying to run $165). The system said when the last payment had been made and when the next one was due, so I waited until a day after the next payment was due, checked the balance, and was able to run the charge.
Did it make me feel like a stalking creep? Kinda. But I was glad to get my money when they cancelled at the last minute. When they book online (esp if they click a box stating they agree to your policies) they are essentially signing a contract with you. Contact the issuing bank and see what they can do for you..

Last time this happened I called our processor and got the issuing bank's phone number. Called that number and it ended up being customer service for that card. So I entered the number and found that the card only had $65 available (I was trying to run $165). The system said when the last payment had been made and when the next one was due, so I waited until a day after the next payment was due, checked the balance, and was able to run the charge.

Yikes! While this helped you recover funds, just think what this information could provide a thief.. I would be extremely P.O.ed if I found out my CC company was providing this information out.

 

[InnBloom]

Last time this happened I called our processor and got the issuing bank's phone number. Called that number and it ended up being customer service for that card. So I entered the number and found that the card only had $65 available (I was trying to run $165). The system said when the last payment had been made and when the next one was due, so I waited until a day after the next payment was due, checked the balance, and was able to run the charge.
Did it make me feel like a stalking creep? Kinda. But I was glad to get my money when they cancelled at the last minute. When they book online (esp if they click a box stating they agree to your policies) they are essentially signing a contract with you. Contact the issuing bank and see what they can do for you..

Last time this happened I called our processor and got the issuing bank's phone number. Called that number and it ended up being customer service for that card. So I entered the number and found that the card only had $65 available (I was trying to run $165). The system said when the last payment had been made and when the next one was due, so I waited until a day after the next payment was due, checked the balance, and was able to run the charge.

Yikes! While this helped you recover funds, just think what this information could provide a thief.. I would be extremely P.O.ed if I found out my CC company was providing this information out.
.

I thought the same thing!

 

[birdwatcher]

I would call the guest and inquirfe why they didnt show up and that your policies state_______and that unfortunantely their card was declined and that you need another card....
just a thought, but if not do what barry said, just try it every other day.. sorry this happened and it always hurts cause you could have rented it..tell them that too that even if they cancelled they would have not had to pay.

 

[agoodman]

Last time this happened I called our processor and got the issuing bank's phone number. Called that number and it ended up being customer service for that card. So I entered the number and found that the card only had $65 available (I was trying to run $165). The system said when the last payment had been made and when the next one was due, so I waited until a day after the next payment was due, checked the balance, and was able to run the charge.
Did it make me feel like a stalking creep? Kinda. But I was glad to get my money when they cancelled at the last minute. When they book online (esp if they click a box stating they agree to your policies) they are essentially signing a contract with you. Contact the issuing bank and see what they can do for you..

I agree with Copperhead, and I am amazed that the bank provided that information, with the new PCI and other regs the person that released that information could be in a lot of trouble
And as a former Front Office and accounting manager in large and small hotels, I will point out again that it is illegal to keep "trying" dates, or to split a charge into smaller amounts in order to try and push it through ... it may work, but it's illegal

Last time this happened I called our processor and got the issuing bank's phone number. Called that number and it ended up being customer service for that card. So I entered the number and found that the card only had $65 available (I was trying to run $165). The system said when the last payment had been made and when the next one was due, so I waited until a day after the next payment was due, checked the balance, and was able to run the charge.
Did it make me feel like a stalking creep? Kinda. But I was glad to get my money when they cancelled at the last minute. When they book online (esp if they click a box stating they agree to your policies) they are essentially signing a contract with you. Contact the issuing bank and see what they can do for you.

 

[EmptyNest]

Probably a fake phone number as well. If they are in that much of a credit mess they will never answer their phone. You may have to just eat this one :-( Lesson learned. Always use a credit card for deposit, run the card. If it doesn't take. they don't have a reservation.

 

[JBloggs]

No show bad credit card, seems pretty cut n dry. Just have to move on and focus on the good guests.
We all have stories of losing revenue this year from this or worse situations. We have to think about how much of our energy we feed to these bad situations/people. Is it worth it? Life is way too short. We know for a fact we will encounter this and more in this business. The best we can do for each other is be sad we/you lost money you were counting on, but move on. Jerks are out there, oh yeah and in abundance.

 

[Proud Texan]

Probably a fake phone number as well. If they are in that much of a credit mess they will never answer their phone. You may have to just eat this one :-( Lesson learned. Always use a credit card for deposit, run the card. If it doesn't take. they don't have a reservation..

Always use a credit card for deposit, run the card. If it doesn't take. they don't have a reservation.

AMEN! Run your B&B like a business and don't assume everyone is honest.

 

[Don Draper]

Last time this happened I called our processor and got the issuing bank's phone number. Called that number and it ended up being customer service for that card. So I entered the number and found that the card only had $65 available (I was trying to run $165). The system said when the last payment had been made and when the next one was due, so I waited until a day after the next payment was due, checked the balance, and was able to run the charge.
Did it make me feel like a stalking creep? Kinda. But I was glad to get my money when they cancelled at the last minute. When they book online (esp if they click a box stating they agree to your policies) they are essentially signing a contract with you. Contact the issuing bank and see what they can do for you..

I agree with Copperhead, and I am amazed that the bank provided that information, with the new PCI and other regs the person that released that information could be in a lot of trouble
And as a former Front Office and accounting manager in large and small hotels, I will point out again that it is illegal to keep "trying" dates, or to split a charge into smaller amounts in order to try and push it through ... it may work, but it's illegal

Last time this happened I called our processor and got the issuing bank's phone number. Called that number and it ended up being customer service for that card. So I entered the number and found that the card only had $65 available (I was trying to run $165). The system said when the last payment had been made and when the next one was due, so I waited until a day after the next payment was due, checked the balance, and was able to run the charge.
Did it make me feel like a stalking creep? Kinda. But I was glad to get my money when they cancelled at the last minute. When they book online (esp if they click a box stating they agree to your policies) they are essentially signing a contract with you. Contact the issuing bank and see what they can do for you.

.

It's not documented anywhere in our state regs or PCI regs that this is illegal...I attempted the charge once, it didn't go through, I waited a week and billed again and it worked. Not illegal at all. Also not sure why partial charges would be considered illegal, again that is not documented anywhere that I could see in my search.
What is illegal is guests making online reservations and entering into a contract with certain terms and then backing out and having ZERO consequences. It is people like this who are the reason for the incredible decline in small businesses in this country.

 

[Copperhead]

No show bad credit card, seems pretty cut n dry. Just have to move on and focus on the good guests.
We all have stories of losing revenue this year from this or worse situations. We have to think about how much of our energy we feed to these bad situations/people. Is it worth it? Life is way too short. We know for a fact we will encounter this and more in this business. The best we can do for each other is be sad we/you lost money you were counting on, but move on. Jerks are out there, oh yeah and in abundance.

.

I'm with you JB all this gets you is more wrinkles and I have more than I want right now, don't need more.
Do what you can then move on to the wonderful guests walking through the door.

 

[Don Draper]

No show bad credit card, seems pretty cut n dry. Just have to move on and focus on the good guests.
We all have stories of losing revenue this year from this or worse situations. We have to think about how much of our energy we feed to these bad situations/people. Is it worth it? Life is way too short. We know for a fact we will encounter this and more in this business. The best we can do for each other is be sad we/you lost money you were counting on, but move on. Jerks are out there, oh yeah and in abundance.

.

I have to disagree. You should do everything you can to recoup your losses. Again, it's not doing other B&B owners any favors when folks continually don't enforce their policies. These people need to realize that they are taking money right out of our hands. We won't be able to be open to service the wonderful guests if we let the jerks win.

 

[Alibi Ike]

No show bad credit card, seems pretty cut n dry. Just have to move on and focus on the good guests.
We all have stories of losing revenue this year from this or worse situations. We have to think about how much of our energy we feed to these bad situations/people. Is it worth it? Life is way too short. We know for a fact we will encounter this and more in this business. The best we can do for each other is be sad we/you lost money you were counting on, but move on. Jerks are out there, oh yeah and in abundance.

.

I have to disagree. You should do everything you can to recoup your losses. Again, it's not doing other B&B owners any favors when folks continually don't enforce their policies. These people need to realize that they are taking money right out of our hands. We won't be able to be open to service the wonderful guests if we let the jerks win.
.

No shows are definitely getting charged here, if their cc's are still valid! If not, it's a business loss.
Unhappy guests? I'd rather they were gone and not fouling the ambience with their problems. In the case of the guest the other day who was horribly unhappy and denigrating my B&B in English and French, I was happy to see her leave and her money with her. Even tho, as I found out later, you do NOT get any kind of refund at HER hotel if you are unhappy. Sucker? I'd rather think the air is clear and my happiness is intact. And she'll be much happier elsewhere.

 

[JBloggs]

No show bad credit card, seems pretty cut n dry. Just have to move on and focus on the good guests.
We all have stories of losing revenue this year from this or worse situations. We have to think about how much of our energy we feed to these bad situations/people. Is it worth it? Life is way too short. We know for a fact we will encounter this and more in this business. The best we can do for each other is be sad we/you lost money you were counting on, but move on. Jerks are out there, oh yeah and in abundance.

.

I have to disagree. You should do everything you can to recoup your losses. Again, it's not doing other B&B owners any favors when folks continually don't enforce their policies. These people need to realize that they are taking money right out of our hands. We won't be able to be open to service the wonderful guests if we let the jerks win.
.

I have to disagree. You should do everything you can to recoup your losses. Again, it's not doing other B&B owners any favors when folks continually don't enforce their policies. These people need to realize that they are taking money right out of our hands. We won't be able to be open to service the wonderful guests if we let the jerks win.

This is a no show with a bad card, there is nothing else to do about it. I want to clarify this for others reading the forum, we don't all think alike here, not by a longchalk. Sometimes when we disagree we say something, we say we disagree or leave it and say nothing.
You have to pick your battles. It is NOT worth it to allow something to eat you up and infect your day/week/month/year. Continually not enforcning is not the same thing, there is nothing to do about this situation, eat your losses and move on. Try to run the card a few more times, then that is it. It's a done deal.
I would rather shut my doors then allow this business to suck the life out of me. I won't do it. I won't allow the jerks who will battle to the end to disrupt any joy I have in running this B&B.
I have a totally different perspective. Being right, being a business 100% of the time, all of that does not make me sleep well at night, doesn't make me nicer to the other guests, in fact it is the opposite effect.
We had a total a-hole here on the weekend, and as I said to some innmates off line, to them alone, I would have PAID the person to leave. It is not worth it, ever. I will PAY YOU to leave and not destroy what we have going on here. That is the truth. I didn't say that to them, only to you innkeepers.
That's my story and I'm sticking' to it.

 

[Don Draper]

No show bad credit card, seems pretty cut n dry. Just have to move on and focus on the good guests.
We all have stories of losing revenue this year from this or worse situations. We have to think about how much of our energy we feed to these bad situations/people. Is it worth it? Life is way too short. We know for a fact we will encounter this and more in this business. The best we can do for each other is be sad we/you lost money you were counting on, but move on. Jerks are out there, oh yeah and in abundance.

.

I have to disagree. You should do everything you can to recoup your losses. Again, it's not doing other B&B owners any favors when folks continually don't enforce their policies. These people need to realize that they are taking money right out of our hands. We won't be able to be open to service the wonderful guests if we let the jerks win.
.

I have to disagree. You should do everything you can to recoup your losses. Again, it's not doing other B&B owners any favors when folks continually don't enforce their policies. These people need to realize that they are taking money right out of our hands. We won't be able to be open to service the wonderful guests if we let the jerks win.

This is a no show with a bad card, there is nothing else to do about it. I want to clarify this for others reading the forum, we don't all think alike here, not by a longchalk. Sometimes when we disagree we say something, we say we disagree or leave it and say nothing.
You have to pick your battles. It is NOT worth it to allow something to eat you up and infect your day/week/month/year. Continually not enforcning is not the same thing, there is nothing to do about this situation, eat your losses and move on. Try to run the card a few more times, then that is it. It's a done deal.
I would rather shut my doors then allow this business to suck the life out of me. I won't do it. I won't allow the jerks who will battle to the end to disrupt any joy I have in running this B&B.
I have a totally different perspective. Being right, being a business 100% of the time, all of that does not make me sleep well at night, doesn't make me nicer to the other guests, in fact it is the opposite effect.
We had a total a-hole here on the weekend, and as I said to some innmates off line, to them alone, I would have PAID the person to leave. It is not worth it, ever. I will PAY YOU to leave and not destroy what we have going on here. That is the truth. I didn't say that to them, only to you innkeepers.
That's my story and I'm sticking' to it.
.

I'm just saying DO NOT just let it go. Contact the guest, in writing...call the cops like I did if you have to. Let the a-holes know what they cost you. Try the card a few times. I"m not saying use all your energy on it, but to just let it go without doing anything? THAT would not let me sleep at night.
I'm truly jealous of anyone who is having any joy right now. This summer has been horrible, the people just sucking the very life energy out of us at every turn. It's hot, they don't want to do anything, they don't want to spend any money...and all of it is somehow MY problem.
I am on a serious avoid-at-all costs mission this week. We have repeats here for 10 DAYS...they sit down at the last possible moment to breakfast every single day (everyone else is long gone out of the house by then) and expect one or both of us to sit and chat with them for 30+ minutes. We are on down the road to three different things by then but they make all these crappy passive-aggressive comments if we leave them alone. Last time they were here hornswaggled us into looking at vaca pics for 2 HOURS. They asked this morning if I had any interest in seeing their new ones...NO!!! I said I haven't had a vacation in so long that seeing pictures of the beach would seriously depress me.

 

[Alibi Ike]

No show bad credit card, seems pretty cut n dry. Just have to move on and focus on the good guests.
We all have stories of losing revenue this year from this or worse situations. We have to think about how much of our energy we feed to these bad situations/people. Is it worth it? Life is way too short. We know for a fact we will encounter this and more in this business. The best we can do for each other is be sad we/you lost money you were counting on, but move on. Jerks are out there, oh yeah and in abundance.

.

I have to disagree. You should do everything you can to recoup your losses. Again, it's not doing other B&B owners any favors when folks continually don't enforce their policies. These people need to realize that they are taking money right out of our hands. We won't be able to be open to service the wonderful guests if we let the jerks win.
.

I have to disagree. You should do everything you can to recoup your losses. Again, it's not doing other B&B owners any favors when folks continually don't enforce their policies. These people need to realize that they are taking money right out of our hands. We won't be able to be open to service the wonderful guests if we let the jerks win.

This is a no show with a bad card, there is nothing else to do about it. I want to clarify this for others reading the forum, we don't all think alike here, not by a longchalk. Sometimes when we disagree we say something, we say we disagree or leave it and say nothing.
You have to pick your battles. It is NOT worth it to allow something to eat you up and infect your day/week/month/year. Continually not enforcning is not the same thing, there is nothing to do about this situation, eat your losses and move on. Try to run the card a few more times, then that is it. It's a done deal.
I would rather shut my doors then allow this business to suck the life out of me. I won't do it. I won't allow the jerks who will battle to the end to disrupt any joy I have in running this B&B.
I have a totally different perspective. Being right, being a business 100% of the time, all of that does not make me sleep well at night, doesn't make me nicer to the other guests, in fact it is the opposite effect.
We had a total a-hole here on the weekend, and as I said to some innmates off line, to them alone, I would have PAID the person to leave. It is not worth it, ever. I will PAY YOU to leave and not destroy what we have going on here. That is the truth. I didn't say that to them, only to you innkeepers.
That's my story and I'm sticking' to it.
.

I'm just saying DO NOT just let it go. Contact the guest, in writing...call the cops like I did if you have to. Let the a-holes know what they cost you. Try the card a few times. I"m not saying use all your energy on it, but to just let it go without doing anything? THAT would not let me sleep at night.
I'm truly jealous of anyone who is having any joy right now. This summer has been horrible, the people just sucking the very life energy out of us at every turn. It's hot, they don't want to do anything, they don't want to spend any money...and all of it is somehow MY problem.
I am on a serious avoid-at-all costs mission this week. We have repeats here for 10 DAYS...they sit down at the last possible moment to breakfast every single day (everyone else is long gone out of the house by then) and expect one or both of us to sit and chat with them for 30+ minutes. We are on down the road to three different things by then but they make all these crappy passive-aggressive comments if we leave them alone. Last time they were here hornswaggled us into looking at vaca pics for 2 HOURS. They asked this morning if I had any interest in seeing their new ones...NO!!! I said I haven't had a vacation in so long that seeing pictures of the beach would seriously depress me.
.

We've had a few of those over the years. Last minute to brekkie so they know they have you all to themselves. Then they want to chat before they sit down. Then it's 10 o'clock and we're trying to herd them to sit down.
(I used to have a guest who called every Sunday at 10 AM. She knew brekkie was over. She's still a guest but she's stopped calling.)
We do not sit down with the guests. If they ask we say, 'If we sat down, we'd never get back up.' We will look at guest photos and all of that at night, when we've had a chance to sit down ourselves. Not in the morning.
Luckily, the phone rings a lot in the morning so we can get away. The spouse has no trouble at all telling guests he has to get back to work. And then he leaves them. Some will follow him to the kitchen but as long as he's able to work, he'll keep talking.
Sorry you're not having any joy this year. After the cranky guest decamped yesterday the charming Italians showed up and spread a little sunshine over the gloom that was still hanging around. They took her room and her evil spirit was vanquished!